Garage construction/design help

[Mortarkombat]

Hi all



I’m wanting to build a garage on my drive ,on a budget. I’m going to end up with a platform structure something like the attached, I’m trying to work out the best way cap it (creating a driveway level floor) and best design to build a second floor/garage on top.

The below ground floor structure in the image* is made from dense concrete blocks, the perimeter walls are 440mm thick, it’s overall 5.8m long (1.55m on drive level the rest on the other side of a retaining wall) and 3.10m wide. I was thinking about running block and beam along the 3.10m span/width(1) rather than a re-inforced slab the whole way.



For the garage on top I was originally thinking single skin block work structure with a dual pitch roof (or possibly sloped flat roof as is popular with the garden rooms) and then adding a waterproof membrane and battening out with PIR board and timber or composite cladding on the outside.

The more I think about that, considering potentially needing piers , costs etc I’m now wondering if I should take a hit on the space and just do a double skin blockwork building with a cavity.



Would appreciate people’s thought and advice…and if I’m off my rocker with my ideas.

Also, people thought’s on planning? I’d come to the conclusion it’ll count as a 2 story building so require planning?



*There’s 1 course too many shown on the image to demonstrate the level. It’d actually be on a course about 20mm lower than is shown that the block and beam starts being laid on.

 

[^woody^]

That looks more like an engineering design issue, not just the visual design. Do you have those skills?

It's no good designing a pretty building that can't be built or can't be built economically.

Your first step, before worrying about detail of walls and floors, and is an outline of what you want, and get an opinion on whether it's viable for any required planning permission, or what changes in design may be necessary to get any permission.

Then once you know what may be accepted for planning permission, you work on the structural design, detail and components.

 

[Mortarkombat]

Cheers ,guess so,I’m trying to design it and the construction type seems to lead the outline.

I’ve an outline of how it could look for planning permission, but this will change depending on the construction. For instance , if I switch to cavity , the floor plans alter as I have a smaller area .

My main query really is about whether the block and beam would be suitable for this and to build off in the future I guess.

 

[^woody^]

I’ve an outline of how it could look for planning permission, but this will change depending on the construction.

But it can't. The design that meets planning criteria must be able to be built, not changed because the construction or engineering principles dictate.

 

[Mortarkombat]

But it can't. The design that meets planning criteria must be able to be built, not changed because the construction or engineering principles dictate.

Yeah that’s why I’m asking here for second opinion before I put forward for planning. If I put forward for planning and find I use a different approach that alters things drastically because of the engineering principles then I’ll be in a pickle .

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Looking at the first image, are you building the two storey thing on the left or the weird thing on the right with no roof?

 

[Mortarkombat]

Looking at the first image, are you building the two storey thing on the left or the weird thing on the right with no roof?

Weird subterranean thing on the right if looking front the front\drive. Looking for a suitable way to cap it that allows for storage use and ideally build on top to create a garage like the neighbour has if planning approved or will plop a temporary structure on top (shed) if denied .

 

[^woody^]

Yeah that’s why I’m asking here for second opinion before I put forward for planning. If I put forward for planning and find I use a different approach that alters things drastically because of the engineering principles then I’ll be in a pickle .

You would not apply for planning permission and chance it.

Normally you would be confident that what you applied for had a good chance of being approved, and to get that confidence you would review national planning policy, and your council's local planning policies and guidance. Then on that basis, formulate a design that should meet policy.

Whilst in this pre-planning stage, you would check that any special design or construction would allow the overall design to conform to planning policies.

If your design will be contentious, then what can be done to mitigate that? At the moment it looks like a shipping container yard. Is that going to be a planning issue?

Your below ground structure will require planning permission, irrespective of anything you put on the top.

 

[Mortarkombat]

Thanks , I’m inclined to chance it, appreciate that may not be normal but what’s the harm.

I’m yet to see a shipping container with a pitched roof, but fair point re. cuboids. On the basis they allowed my neighbour’s on the left , it doesn’t seem too outlandish that a marginally nicer looking thing on the right may be approved .